The

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

chain A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...

, called Manin, consists of a 22-karat gold

wire Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm A wire is a flexible strand of metal. Wire is c ...

. The process involves making tiny rings of gold, with semi-circular hollow section, to be welded together and form a fine mesh. If the work is very skilled from 1 gram of gold can be obtained chains of 12–15 cm. This type of manual work to create the gold chains of twisted thin wires is typically

Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...

The craftwork's original name "entercosei" was generally replaced with Manin, or Manini, in the 18th century. It is a historical piece of jewelry, hard to find nowadays and particularly sought after. The story reports that the Venetians in

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

, learned the process, making it their own as early as the 6th century. Manin chains adorned the necks or wrists of Venetian noblewomen and

Dogaressa Dogaressa ( , , ) was the official title of the wife of the Doge of Venice. The title was unique for Venice: while the head of the Republic of Genoa were also called Doge, the wives of the Doges of Genoa were not called ''Dogaressa'', nor did t ...

s throughout the history of the

Venetian Republic The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

. Manin gold was considered dotal and it was customary for each mother to split their chains in equal shares among their daughters who transmitted this tradition to the offspring. For this reason it is now very rare to find a Manin chain of considerable length, although there are historical examples of 50–60 meters. The name "Manin" for this fine work is given in honor of the Manin family, of ancient origins, who became very rich and powerful over time in Venice thanks to the merits and value of many of its members, who were able to gain the respect of people, the honor of kings and acceptance among the Friulan nobility first and the Venetian nobility later. The Manin, in 1740, were the richest among all noble Venetians and it is written in the Book of Gold that they enjoyed eighty thousand

ducat The ducat () coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages from the 13th to 19th centuries. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained wi ...

s of annual income, in addition to two hundred thousand ducats in cash and the same value in jewels. These funds came primarily from the lands: they would be either State loans or house rentals in Venice. Manin's name is now known to have belonged to the last

doge of Venice The Doge of Venice ( ; vec, Doxe de Venexia ; it, Doge di Venezia ; all derived from Latin ', "military leader"), sometimes translated as Duke (compare the Italian '), was the chief magistrate and leader of the Republic of Venice between 726 a ...

, Ludovico Manin IV, who with dignity faced the dissolution of the Republic threatened by

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

, May 12, 1797 and presided over, the last session of the Grand Council that decreed the end, after more than eleven centuries of independence and glory.

References

{{Reflist Jewellery making Gold objects